The Last Ambassador. It's Ours!

[vulgalour]

Fit and finish.  A plush wedge has enough stuffing to hide the cut corners, a base model doesn't.  The Sierra is fairly uniform across the range so the fit and finish is the same if it's a base model or if it's a Ghia.  Also, base model BL products have an almost Soviet grimness about them that reminds you just how tight/unlucky you've been which the Sierra doesn't.

[trigger]

This is all just excellent, i used to hate the design of these but they have certainly improved with age like a fine wine.

 

I can see that being one of the best out there by the time you guys have finished your magic on it!

[plasticvandan]

It looks much better in VP form certainly. A non-metallic Ambassador 1.7L like John Shuttleworths is the low point of 1980's BL misery though. Saying that why do I like the sierra base and not a 1.7L wedge? It doesn't make sense.

Possibly because sierra base is equal to high spec ambassador?

[Isaac Hunt]

Excellent, a good scrub and polish is a good place to start. Agree with the chaps, that carpet might come up ok with a scrub.

 

I've used washing powder and warm water on car carpets, then a good hose off and drip dry in the sun. I'd get some penetrating oil on the seat fixings 'soon as' if it's had a pond in there.

 

The cling film just needs a bit of silver gaffer tape around the edges for a true AutoShite photo, even just for the camera before the new glass goes in

[Lord Sterling]

Hey! This is great to see. Well done on the saving. What's the story then on how it became to be left?

 

Can't wait to possibly see this in the metal one day.

 

We've had some seriously great saves recently here on Autoshite, the Sierra base and now the last Ambassador!

[Inspector Morose]

I remember this at the auction. Nothing went cheap. To think that this was then left to decay outside on someone's drive for the next x amount of years baffles me.

 

Then again, he could have worked for the museum as curatorial and then it wouldn't surprise me at all.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I bought a beige Ambastardor (aka Austim Ambarrassment) in 1989 for £240. It was an A plate 1984 2.0HL with brick red seats. Five years old and not worth a carrot. Once it was valeted and the leaning hydro pumped up it wasn't bad. In the small village I lived in then there were a few of these about. A local gardener had an A reg Opporto red 1.7HL for six or seven years and it never broke down and never seemed to deteriorate in the way Ford stuff seemed to. Very, very unfashionable but actually decent transport for next to nothing.

[fotorabia]

Back in NZ..local car museum i was friends with had this..last seen priced just over £1000...

[richbraith]

My grandparents had a Y reg one.  Beige HLS, sort of orange interior.  Such a comfy car but did it ever wallow.  Had it about 1992, compared to the kind of thing we had at the time it seemed awfully luxurious.

[rovamota]

A bit of tinkering on the car today.

 

New tailgate and bonnet struts arrived and fitted.

 

 

New battery also arrived and fitted 

 

 

And then a look at the brakes. After a few dislodged spiders  they look much better but the discs will need skimming and I expect the calipers will need an overhaul, but the CV boots and rack boots seem fine.

 

 

 

 

 

New cambelt and water pump tomorrow and it seems we've sourced a new rear quarter glass.

[Felly Magic]

Making progress already You will have this beast MOT'd and on the road in no time

[rovamota]

Further tinkering this weekend saw the fitting of a new water pump and cambelt. Dead easy to on the O-Series engine even with power steering fitted.

 

A common fault on the O-Series is that the thermostat welds itself into the housing over time and this was no exception, so I had to remove the housing and literally smash the old thermostat out without damaging the housing. 

 

 

Also removed the front bumper to check the condition of the front apron, which is fine apart from a few small scabs. However, the standard fit Unipart front fog lights are past their best and will need replacing.

 

 

 

We also have a set of NOS alloy wheels to go on, which will save us having to refurb the original set.

 

 

Next jobs are to check the brakes, get the brake discs skimmed and fit a new exhaust.

 

[Parky]

Will it be needing a full respray or is the paintwork generally alright?

[rovamota]

Overall paintwork is very good so we'll be leaving it. Only the new bonnet, front apron and steel sunroof, which has lost its lacquer, will need new paint.

[phil_lihp]

Just brilliant, this is thread of the month against some strong competition. 

[rovamota]

A few jobs during the week included a set of decent tyres for the NOS alloys, plus re-skimmed discs and a 3/4" drive socket/T bar for the wheel hub nut.  

 

 

 

First job for today was to get the car over the pit and replace the knackered rear exhaust section.

 

 

The downpipes & manifold connections were fine but the the first silencer was completely knackered. As expected the u bolt clamp was well rusted and both the nuts sheared off despite oodles of WD40. The rubber in the exhaust suspending brackets also dropped apart - as they do - so off to the local motor factors for replacements. Reassembled without problem so now the neighbours are grateful for a much quieter car. 

 

 

Then it was on to the rear brakes. On removing the N/S drum everything looked fine with the shoes exactly as they were fitted in 1984. No leaking from the rear cylinders either so we tested that they were expanding properly but they had seized solid. Ambo brake cylinders are different to the Princess (slightly larger bore) but luckily we had some in the store cupboard. Unfortunately we couldn't undo the brake pipe to wheel cylinder so we need a new bit of pipe from the flexi to the cylinder, which we'll get on Monday.

 

We then did the O/S and again although everything looked OK the cylinders had again seized; at least the brake pipe came undone this side without problem. We'll reassemble everything when we have the new bit of N/S brake pipe.

 

 

So it's heading towards an MoT once a few other minor issues have been addressed including the ASU (Automatic Start Unit) which seems to be playing silly buggers, probably caused by an elbow hose in the system that has fallen to pieces.

[Skizzer]

Fantastic stuff. I love that photo with the prototype Princess and the last Ambassador side by side. It's wonderful that you've saved both.

[omegod]

Not sure if I mentioned , there are a couple of these in a yard near me , send me a pm if there are any bit's you need and i'll see if they are on them 

[Unipart TTC]

Excellent progress, that cars in the garge shot looks like our HQ Car Park in the Eighties

[rovamota]

More work done over the last few days. Martin takes up the story...

 

I had a couple of hours free this morning so set to on KwaKers. 3 easy little jobs....

 

First was the cooling fan thermostat replacement. First snag was the one I had in the store cupboard must have been for an SD1 as it was too big. No problem as Rovamota had also provided a correct unit so that was fitted in 2 minutes without problem. It doesn't appear to leak but haven't run the system pressurised yet.

 

Next job was to refit the rightangled rubber tube for the ASU (automatic starting unit ie auto choke). Rovamota had bought an item at Beaulieu autojumble but, like my thermostat, that was too big. I ordered one off fleabay for not very much that was the correct internal diameter but a bit too chunky but when cut down to size looked fine.

 

 

Nothing for it but take off the carbs so it could go on easily. In retrospect this was serendipitous. On the 6 cylinder I can do this in 10 minutes max. Not on KwaKers. Three (of the four/carb) nuts were easy. The fourth one I couldn't get a spanner on or indeed feel the nut at all. It is very difficult to see. Anyway, the reason I couldn't feel it was because it wasn't there. The other carb was exactly the same. It was the inner lower nut that was missing each side. Anyway, carbs off ASU tube on and carbs back on. I found a couple of replacements for the missing nuts; then I realised why the 2 nuts were missing. It's a pig of a job to get the nuts on the thread in the first place but the worse trouble is there isn't enough room around the nut to get a spanner on to tighten it properly. It's a question of finding the right shaped spanner. I am not quite sure why the carbs have been removed (was that you Adam?!) in the first place but I can understand why they didn't bother with the 4th nut each side! I got fed up with that so that job is only 90% finished. I moved on to replace the rear brakes on one side...

 

We've got a new replacement brake pipe so a quick bend of that

 

 

Then fitted and reassembly of the shoes and drum. No real dramas here.

 

 

The three of us met for a Bank Holiday tinker.

First job was to change (again) the cooling fan thermostat which we did and tested in situ. The fan cut in as soon as the temp gauge went above normal. Result!

Next job was to flush the old brake fluid through the system and replace with modern Dot4 whilst at the same time obviously bleeding the system. Another job done.

We sourced a replacement C/D post window so that was bonded in so we're secure from the weather now.

 

 

Next was to start stripping the interior so we can check for rust and do a thorough cleaning job. The headlining was well manky, to use modern parlance, and needed to come out so it can be relined. Not difficult, just awkward.

 

 

The foam lining had completely rotted and detached from the board. 

 

 

Then it was out with the seats and carpet.

 

 

 

Mechanically things are now just about ready for an MoT. We are experiencing a bit of difficulty getting the number plates remade as an exact copy of the originals so it looks as if period generic plates will have to be made. Once that's in the bag we can concentrate on the outside cosmetics.

 

 

 

[rovamota]

I got the roof panel home and set about fitting the new lining. I bought the material at Beaulieu last weekend.

Just a matter of spraying on the adhesive to both surfaces, waiting 30 seconds then bonding them together. I did it in stages so that the glue wouldn't set before I was ready.

 

 

 

 

 

It's turned out quite well though despite leaving the 'dog ears' to tuck into the pillars, I'd forgot to leave an overlap unbonded to tuck into the door seals but I think we can unpick the overlap as there's enough there. If not I'll just have to do it again...

[Squire_Dawson]

Good progress. What's wrong with the current number plates?

[rovamota]

Front one is cracked and both are tired. 

[Felly Magic]

Can't DMB help with the numberplates?

[rovamota]

We want to recreate the original plates but it seems the font is unusual and apparently only Austin Rover dealers used this font. I scanned and cleaned up the plates ready for them to be copied but I've been told that unless the font type is on the plate makers computer it can't be done.

 

 

[Angrydicky]

As above, DMB will do perfect replicas if you send them photos and measurements.

 

Check out the replica number plate thread, Trigger, Dugong and another chap have all had plates made with that font. It was the second most common font used in the 1980s, and certainly wasn't exclusive to Austin-Rover dealers.

[Braddon81]

This thread is just truly heart-warming to read,I've always had a soft spot for the Ambassador and this car in all probability is going to be refurbished to a higher standard than when it was actually displayed at Gaydon. A big thumbs up from me!

[richardthestag]

I got the roof panel home and set about fitting the new lining. I bought the material at Beaulieu last weekend.

 

Just a matter of spraying on the adhesive to both surfaces, waiting 30 seconds then bonding them together. I did it in stages so that the glue wouldn't set before I was ready.

 

Roof 1.jpg

 

Roof 2.jpg

 

Roof 3.jpg

 

Roof 5.jpg

 

It's turned out quite well though despite leaving the 'dog ears' to tuck into the pillars, I'd forgot to leave an overlap unbonded to tuck into the door seals but I think we can unpick the overlap as there's enough there. If not I'll just have to do it again...

 

I used good adhesive on Range Rover headlining first time and first sunny day it failed and I was back in the Sahara in a Bedouin tent Martrim do a high temp adhesive that so far has worked well.

 

Good luck with the plates

[rovamota]

The stuff I used is specifically for foam material and has a high temp yield. Soon find out if does do what it says on the tin...

[trigger]

I've just caught up on this thread and now i have a blister on my "like" thumb.

 

As Dicky as above about the plates, contact David at DMB, 99.9% sure he'll be able to match them for you.